Gautam Gambhir Grilled Over No. 3 Spot. Did India Waste Time With Sai Sudharsan And Karun Nair?
The question has been asked to Gautam Gambhir and the Indian cricket team management following their consistent changes at the number 3 spot in the batting order in Test cricket.
- India promoted Washington Sundar to bat at number 3 in the first Test against South Africa
- The side previously tested Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair at the number 3 batting spot but did not persist
- Aakash Chopra questioned Gautam Gambhir over the decision: "Were India just wasting time with Sai and Karun?"
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management continue to surprise with their consistent changes in the batting order. This time, it was in the Test format when the team played against South Africa in the first game at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. In the match, India picked a total of four spinners and promoted Washington Sundar to bat at number 3, a position held by Sai Sudharsan during the West Indies series in October this year. Interestingly, both Sudharsan and Karun Nair had shared the same batting position during India's tour of England that took place a few months before the West Indies series.
Former India batter Aakash Chopra questioned Gambhir and the team management for their consistent changes in the batting order.
"Washington Sundar has presented himself as a phenomenal option who can bat at the top of the order, and of course is a more than handy bowler. The bigger question that Gautam and the team management need to answer is are we going to keep changing goalposts after every series?" said Chopra to the press during a JioStar media day.
While batting against West Indies at home, Sudharsan scored 7, 87 and 39, but he was dropped for the first South Africa Test. Sundar took his position against the Proteas and scored 29 and 31.
"You're well within your rights to go with Washington, but if Washi is your long term choice, then were we just wasting time with Sai Sudharsan or even Karun Nair to bat at 3?" questioned Chopra.
"You would first want to prioritise the batting capabilities, not only the skill but also the temperament and the patience and the ability to bat time. That is why you look for the purest specialists who have only one job to do. Your top 4 or 5 are there just to bat and nothing else.
"If you choose Washington Sundar as a batter, fair enough, but it just feels like the last six or seven months were futile and you didn't really gain anything from it.
"What message do you give to Sai Sudharsan that we gave you a chance, you scored the runs, but we had a change of heart. Tansition gives you the chance to experiment, but what makes it easier is clarity and consistency."
India Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir
Karun Nair